Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) on Wednesday hiked petrol prices by about Rs 2.95 a litre effective midnight, and other state-owned oil companies IOC and HPCL will follow suit tomorrow.

The oil ministry today gave the three companies a go-ahead to raise petrol prices after international crude oil prices touched USD 90 per barrel.

BPCL, the second largest fuel retailer in the country, took the lead to raise petrol prices by Rs 2.95 rpt 2.95 a litre to Rs 55.86 rpt 55.86 per litre in Delhi, sources privy to the decision said.

Indian Oil Corp (IOC), the largest fuel retailer in the country, and Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL) will do the same by an equal measure tomorrow, sources said.

A report in the news daily Hindu quoted petroleum minister Murli Deora as saying, " We had no alternative but to hike prices as the international crude oil prices have risen sharply. Still, we have tried to minimise the impact on the people. There is no hike in the prices of kerosene oil and LPG cylinders, mostly consumed by the andthe common man."